Joe Wolf's Swift Preserve Method
Quick Pickles Like a Pro: Joe Wolf's San Francisco Style
Hop on over to Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen in San Francisco's hip Mission District, and you'll find pickle enthusiast Joe Wolf whipping up a storm. Fancy making some pickles of your very own? Joe's got a simple, easy-to-follow method for any vegetable you fancy.
Check out this experimental CHOW Tip video to catch Joe demonstrating his pickling technique in action.
🛈 Fun Fact: Did you know that pickles are a cherished element of Jewish cuisine, dating back to ancient times when they were used as a means of preserving food during lengthy spring and autumn journeys? 🛈
🛈 Historical Perspective: Pickles have been enjoyed for centuries, serving as a popular component of both Western and Eastern cultures. In the Middle Ages, pickling became a common practice for preserving fruits and vegetables. The process was especially crucial during the long sea voyages as it allowed explorers to take their favorite foods with them on their journeys. 🛈
🗑 Trash Talk:Joe uses a brine made of white wine vinegar, a touch of sugar, and sea salt, but you can always play around with the recipe by swapping vinegar for apple cider vinegar or using different spices like mustard seed, coriander, or celery seed. So, don't shy away from experimenting!
Here's Joe's signature pickle recipe:
Ingredients (Quantities based on what you've got on hand)
- Thinly sliced vegetables of your choice
- 2 1/2 cups white wine vinegar
- 2 cups cold water
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sea salt
- 1 teaspoon celery seed (optional)
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (optional)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed (optional)
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 teaspoon diced fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill (optional)
Instructions
- Toss your sliced veggies into a heat-resistant container.
- Gather the remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, occasionally stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve.
- Pour the heated pickling liquid over the veggies and pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes, or up to a day for a more intense pickle flavor. That's it!
✨ Pro-tips: ✨- Not all pickles are created equal! The longer you let them sit in the pickling solution, the tangier they'll become.- Customize your pickles to your taste by adding in extra spices or even chili peppers for some heat.- Pair your pickles with meals or snack on them straight out of the jar—they're honestly that good. Happy pickling!
- Nutrition fact: Pickles, a cherished element of Jewish cuisine, not only add a tangy flavor to various dishes but also provide essential nutrients due to their vinegar-based brine.
- Recipes variation: For a unique twist on Joe Wolf's San Francisco Style pickles, experiment with using apple cider vinegar instead of white wine vinegar, or adding various spices like mustard seed, coriander, celery seed, or chili peppers to enhance the flavor.
- Pickles at the delicatessen: Next time you visit Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen in San Francisco, you might come across Joe Wolf's pickles—made thinly sliced and infused with a brine of vinegar, sugar, sea salt, and spices.
